This summer, consumers will be fed up and looking for ways to adapt to broken societal systems, seeking meaningful understanding of the world and themselves through antiheroes, and seeking a slowed-down season to indulge in big and little pleasures as a respite from stress, climate change, and election noise. . . . Read on to learn more about the insights informing these shifts, and how this impacts the book industry and authors.
Moments Summer 2024 explores a few key themes:
- Cracks in the System: After years of seeing how poorly the “system” has worked for us, consumers are officially fed up with many of the systems that support our society. When there’s a lack of stability and trust, people seek short-term and long-term hacks to give them that sense of stability.
- Holding Out for an (Anti)Hero: Society is grappling with the value of morality and the blurred lines between truth and fiction, right and wrong. While antiheros are long-established in literature, they’re dominating summer pop culture as people try to understand their own complex feelings and process the world around them.
- Soft Life Summer: Against a backdrop of stress, climate change, and election noise, consumer are looking to slow down, soften up, and indulge in big and little pleasures.
We also explore summer bookselling occasions, with a key focus on impact:
- Kids & Summer Reading: Keep things fun and help kids learn beyond the classroom
- Summer Travel: Consumers embrace open roads and open air
- Summer Olympics 2024: Learn about Gen Z’s perspective on a timeless tradition
- Decision/Fatigue 2024:Consider positioning books for folks experiencing election fatigue.
- Cultural Heritage Months & Holidays:Understand key engagement strategies for Teacher Appreciation Day/Week, Graduation, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, AAPI Heritage Month, Pride Month, Juneteenth, Black Music Month, Black Business Month
If you have a current or backlist title that aligns with one or more of these trends or occasions, contact your marketing team for suggestions about ways to reach and engage consumers with relevant content from your book.
April Flores is Director, Consumer Insights at Penguin Random House.